"Language, Gender, and the Historical Evolution of the Khutbah" by Dr. Irum Shiekh (7/26/19)

Bio: Dr. Irum Shiekh's work combines oral history with visual arts to advance social justice at local and transnational levels. Her documentary, Matrilineal Muslim Women of Minang, provides narratives of Muslim women of Minangkabau—the largest living matrilineal society in the world, which happened to be Muslim. By presenting interviews of strong Muslim women who are wearing headscarves, this film disassociates the widely mistaken image of women’s oppression with Islam. Dr. Shiekh was a Fulbright scholar in Palestine where she developed courses about Palestinian Cinema and its significance in writing a counter-narrative through artistic expressions that articulates multiple histories and the day-to-day perspectives of Palestinians. Her photo exhibit, Palestinians Envision Life Without Occupation, examines the power of imagination as a resistance strategy for Palestinians living under occupation. Her current book research project, Women’s Mosque Movement of the 21st Century, promotes the development and dissemination of Islamic knowledge for gender and social justice. Dr. Shiekh enjoys learning from people, experiences, and the world around her. In her life journey, she is constantly juggling a balance between creating a sense of belonging and staying detached. She has completed fieldwork in Egypt, India, Indonesia, Japan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Palestine, Peru, South Africa, and Trinidad. Currently, she teaches in the departments of Ethnic Studies and the Honors College at the University of Oregon.